


The Beauty That Remains

by Bookgirl318



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 00:32:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookgirl318/pseuds/Bookgirl318
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my little one-shot take on the Mockingjay Epilogue</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beauty That Remains

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a little one shot I wrote inspired by the Epilogue of Mockingjay and a couple of lines from the song Love Is by Brian McKnight and Vanessa Williams. ENJOY!

_**Love takes the tears and the pain** _ _**And it turns it in to the beauty that remains** _ _**-From Love Is by Brian McKnight and Vanessa Williams** _

Katniss had known her share of tears and pain.

The loss of her father in the mining accident was the first time. Her tears had flowed heavily and freely then. It was somehow easier at that point to let her emotions show. But, a hard reality soon hit as her mother was lost in her own depression and her little sister was becoming skin and bones. She had to force her own pain deep down and start doing something. Receiving the bread from the boy at the bakery gave her the little bit of hope she needed to begin. Fueled by the dandelion in the spring, she used the skills she had been taught to provide for her family. Over time, she became good at hunting, and at keeping her feelings at bay, whatever they may be.

But that didn’t mean hurt and suffering still didn’t come. Her entry into the Games, then seeing all the death, especially Rue’s, was almost worse than any of the physical pain Katniss received. The experience created nightmares that plagued her sleep. She thought that once she was safely home that it might get better. Instead, her loved ones were threatened, and she was forced into getting engaged. Gale being whipped and her district terrorized made the stress almost unbearable. Peeta was the only one that could help her find any peace in all the chaos. His arms at night were her only solace. The situation only intensified as she found out that she would have to enter the arena again. More deaths and more pain from having a tracker ripped out of her arm and force fields exploding. Once again, she woke up in a hospital room.

Then there was the loneliness of being in District 13. Her home now destroyed, and Peeta was not there with her. He was trapped in the Capitol and being tortured for no other reason than to break her. It almost did. Only the fire and rage kept Katniss going, even when he was returned to her broken and damaged. There was so much pain then that she turned her back on him, and in turn made herself feel nothing. In essence, Katniss shut her emotions down and pushed them away to get the job done. Even as Boggs, Finnick, and the other members of Squad 451 perished in the attack, she kept thinking that somehow it had to be over soon.

Finally, the worst came with the bombs. The loss of her sister finally did what the rest could not. The pain finally won. Katniss wanted to kill herself to get away from it all, only to be stopped by Peeta. He couldn’t let her go. A trial was held which found her insane in her actions. Maybe she was. Who knew? She was taken back to what was left of her home, and finally let the tears and grief overtake her. Despair was all she knew. Sitting in her rocking chair in front of the fire, Katniss didn’t want company, food, or anything. After all, what was really left? Everything seemed to be lost to her, even Gale.

And then he returned. Her baker came back and planted the primroses in memory of her sister. It was such a small gesture, but it meant everything. From that moment, the light inside her was lit again. Slowly, Katniss began to live again. Routines grew over time to something resembling a normal life. And she found that, after everything, Peeta loved her still. Then there came the day that she realized what was meant to be and revealed to him that it was truly real. That night, Katniss stopped thinking about all that she had lost, and began to think about what remained.

 

 

What remained was a country, now free from oppression and the deaths of twenty three children every year. The leadership of Paylor had been everything and more than Katniss could have ever asked for. New laws were carefully considered and enforced, and each district in Panem had flourished in the new system. People all over had enough food to eat, and children were being born and growing up without fear of being reaped.

What remained was her home, still surviving after all of the destruction. The love her people had for their district driving them to return and rebuild. The population was nowhere near where it was before, but it was a solid community that cared about each other. Thom and Delly had both returned, and were now married with three beautiful children. Greasy Sae continued to stop by their house now and then with her granddaughter, some stew, and her wisdom. Haymitch was still there, as well, raising his geese and drinking. They would invite him to dinner as often as they could manage to sober him up; trying to make sure he ate. Each time their old mentor would leave, though, he would touch their cheeks, letting them know his appreciation.

What remained was the book, created to retain the memories of all those who had been lost. Katniss and Peeta had painstakingly worked on the words and pictures together. Stories were told and memories resurfaced. It was a reminder to them each time they looked through it that they had to live well the life that they had been given by those who had sacrificed.

What remained was her Mother, living and healing in District 4. Not only others, but herself as well. Over time they had reconnected their once lost relationship. After grieving together over Prim’s death, her mother really tried her hardest to not lose touch again. They talked on the phone, and Katniss would go to visit her a few times a year. It wasn’t the best, but it was something. They continued to work on it.

What remained was a marriage, begun a couple of years after his return. The love that started to change her from that moment continued to grow until neither one knew where one began nor the other ended. She had never known that it could be this way with someone. But the love for Peeta that she so tentatively let in one night was stronger now even years later. His love for her had held Katniss up through it all, good and bad. Through nightmares, fears, and flashbacks, they helped to heal each other.

Now, here she stood in the Meadow, where the grass had begun to grow again over the graves of District 12. Katniss was watching something else that remained: a boy and a girl dancing. They were chasing birds and picking the first dandelions of the spring. Her children, conceived in love after so many years of fear. They were such perfect combinations of the two of them. The girl had her dark hair and the sparkling blue eyes of her father. The boy obtained Peeta’s blonde curls and the misty grey orbs that matched her own. These two had brought the greatest joy into her and her husband’s life. Just another symbol of how love could turn around all the sorrow and tears. Their little miracles stop for a moment to smile and wave at her, and then continue about their game.

As she stands there, Katniss suddenly feels strong arms surround her. The smell of bread as familiar to her as any other fills her senses and she smiles. She immediately relaxes into the

 

 

comfort only he could provide, as he always had for so many years now. She doesn’t look at him, but continues to watch the children.

“Look at them,” Peeta finally comments, “playing as if they don’t have a care in the world.”

“I hope they always stay that way,” she responds wistfully.

“Maybe not today, but someday they will learn about all that happened to give them this life.” he says. “We won’t be able to hid hide it forever. At some point, they are going to hear about it and ask questions.”

“She already has,” Katniss sighs. “The other day she told that her teacher mentioned something called The Hunger Games and told Willow to ask us about it. I didn’t know what to tell her.”

Peeta gives her a soft hug to soothe her fears. He turns her body to him and looks in her eyes. “It will be okay. We’ll figure it out together like we always have. We have the book, and we have each other. Somehow, we’ll find the words to explain it to her and to him when the time comes. Right now, let them just enjoy this moment.”

She knows that he is right, and returns to watching the girl and boy happily dance. Katniss soaks in the feeling it gives her watching them be so free. Peeta continues to hold her tight, and as he places a fresh dandelion in her hair, Katniss once more feels that continuing gift he has always given her...hope.

She had fought so hard for so long, and this is what remained. Love had turned everything around into this life she had now.

And what remained was beautiful.


End file.
